Defective capsule removing mechanism

ABSTRACT

There is provided a defective capsule removing mechanism characterized in that a defective capsule discharging window  131  is provided for a capsule pocket  11  and the capsule pocket  11  is subject to suction through the discharging window  131  so that a cap or a body of a coupling defective capsule is drawn into the defective capsule discharging window in a rolling manner from one end side directed forwardly and then discharged to the outside of the capsule pocket, and there is also provided another defective capsule removing mechanism characterized in that one end side of a capsule pocket  21  is formed as a cap holding portion  211   a  having a width smaller than a diameter of the capsule cap and a scraper is inserted in a scraper insertion groove extending transversely to the capsule pocket  21  such that the cap portion of a reverse defective capsule is fitted into the cap holding portion  211   a  and is not discharged from the capsule pocket at a predetermined location but is further transported, whereafter it is scraped out by the scraper.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a defective capsule removing mechanismfor discharging and removing, where capsules are accommodated and heldin capsule pockets in a capsule filling machine for transportation, acapsule sealing machine or a capsule appearance inspection apparatus, acoupling defective capsule whose cap and body are separate from eachother from a capsule pocket, and a defective capsule removing mechanismfor removing, when capsules in a horizontally lying state wherein thecap side is directed in a fixed direction are accommodated in andtransported by capsule pockets, a capsule in a reversely horizontallylying state wherein the cap side is directed in the reverse direction.

Conventionally, in a capsule filling machine for filling contentssubstance such as medicine into empty capsules, a capsule sealingmachine for applying band seals to filled capsule products such aspharmaceutical capsules wherein medicine or the like is filled therein,or capsule-shaped foods or a capsule appearance inspection machine forperforming an appearance inspection of empty capsules or such filledcapsule products as described above, a method is adopted wherein emptycapsules or filled capsule products (which are hereinafter referred tosimply as “capsules”) supplied successively are accommodated into andtransported in capsule pockets, and while they are transported, fillingof contents substance is performed, band sealing is performed, or anappearance inspection is performed.

Further, in such machines and apparatus as described above, it isnecessary to control all of capsules supplied at random in a fixedposture by posture control, transport and supply the capsules to afilling mechanism section for filling contents substance, a band sealingmechanism section for applying band seals to boundary portions betweenthe caps and the bodies of the capsules or an inspection mechanismsection for photographing the capsules using a camera to detect anappearance defect. To this end, the apparatus mentioned includes acapsule supplying apparatus which stably transports capsules from ahopper or the like to the filling mechanism section, band sealingmechanism section or inspection mechanism section and controls thedirection of all of the capsules to be supplied at random to a statewherein they are directed in a fixed direction when they aretransported.

For example, the capsule filling machine is constructed such that emptycapsules whose caps and bodies are temporarily coupled to each other aretransported usually in an erected state wherein the cap is directedupwardly, and, while the empty capsules are transported, they areseparated into the caps and the bodies and contents substance is filledinto the bodies, and then the caps and the bodies are coupled to eachother again thereby to produce filled capsule products. Therefore, acapsule supplying section is required for stably supplying emptycapsules supplied at random from a hopper or the like to the fillingmechanism section while controlling the posture of each empty capsule inan erected state wherein the cap is directed upwardly.

As such a known capsule supplying section for a capsule filling machineas described above, a supplying mechanism, that is, as shown in FIG. 13,using three transporting drums of a supplying drum 1, a directioncontrolling drum 2 and a feeding drum 3, capsules are successivelytransferred and transported among the drums, and while they aretransported, the capsules which are supplied at random are controlled inposture to an erected state wherein the cap is directed upwardly. In thefollowing, the supplying mechanism is described briefly. It is to benoted that, in the present specification, the “upward/downward”directions of an empty capsule held on a drum-type transporting unit areupward/downward directions where the outer periphery side of the drum isrepresented as upward while the center side is represented as downward,and the “erected state” signifies a state wherein the empty capsule isheld along a diametral direction of the drum with the cap positioned onthe outer periphery side of the drum and with the body directed to thecenter side of the drum. Further, the “inverted state” signifies a statewherein the empty capsule is held along a diametral direction of thedrum with the body positioned on the outer periphery side of the drumand with the cap directed toward the center side of the drum, and the“vertically standing state” signifies a state wherein the empty capsuleis held along a diametral direction of the drum irrespective of thedirections of the cap and the body.

In particular, reference numeral 1 in FIG. 13 denotes a supplying drumon which a large number of supply pockets for accommodating emptycapsules AB each composed of a cap A and a body B temporarily coupled toeach other in a vertically standing state therein are formed in a rowalong a circumferential direction. The supplying drum 1 accommodates andholds empty capsules supplied at random from a hopper h in an uprightlystanding state in the supply pockets 11 to transport the empty capsulesand transfers the empty capsules to direction controlling pockets 21 ofthe direction controlling drum 2.

Each of the direction controlling pockets 21 is composed of an upperportion 211 capable of accommodating an empty capsule in a horizontallylying state, and a bottom portion 212 communicated with an end portionof the upper portion 211 and allowing only the body of a capsule toenter. The body B portion of an empty capsule AB introduced into adirection controlling pocket 21 with the body B side thereof directedforwardly enters the bottom portion 212 of the direction controllingpocket 21 until the empty capsule AB is fully accommodated into thedirection controlling pocket 21 in an erected state, and the emptycapsule AB is transported in this state by rotation of the directioncontrolling drum 2. On the other hand, an empty capsule AB′ introducedinto a direction controlling pocket 21 with the cap A side directedforwardly cannot enter the bottom portion 212, but is accommodated oncein the direction controlling pocket 21 in an inverted state wherein thebody B side thereof projects from an outer circumferential face of thedirection controlling drum 2. Then, as the direction controlling drum 2rotates, the projecting body B portion of the empty capsule AB′ is incontact with a direction controlling guide member 22 for thereby beinghorizontally laid down, so that the empty capsule AB′ is accommodated inthe upper portion 211 of the direction controlling pocket 21 in ahorizontally lying state wherein the cap A is directed in the directionof rotation of the direction controlling drum 2, and the empty capsuleAB′ is transported in this state. Then, such empty capsules AB in anerected state and the empty capsules AB′ in a horizontally lying stateare transferred to feeding pockets 31 of the feeding drum 3.

The feeding pockets 31 of the feeding drum 3 are adapted to accommodateempty capsules in an erected state. The empty capsules AB accommodatedin an erected state in the direction controlling pockets 21 enter asthey are into the feeding pockets 31 with the cap A side directedforwardly and are accommodated into the feeding pockets 31 in aninverted state. Meanwhile, since also the empty capsules AB′accommodated in a horizontally lying state in the upper portions 211 ofthe direction controlling pocket 21 are in a horizontally lying statewherein the cap A is directed forwardly in the direction of rotation,they enter the feeding pockets 31 with the cap A side directed forwardlyso that they are accommodated into the feeding pockets 31 in an invertedstate. In this manner, all empty capsules accommodated in the feedingpockets 31 are brought into an inverted state. Then, all of the emptycapsules AB are transported by rotation of the feeding drum 3 anddischarged from the feeding pockets 31 in an erected state wherein thecap is directed upwardly so that they are supplied to the capsulefilling mechanism section which performs separation of empty capsules,filling of contents substance, re-coupling and so forth.

Here, since each empty capsule AB is composed of the cap A and the bodyB which are temporarily coupled to each other such that they are liableto be separated from each other and are sometimes separated from eachother when empty capsules AB are supplied into the hopper h or moved inthe hopper h. Thus, separate caps A and bodies B of empty capsules ABmay possibly be present in the hopper h. If such a cap A or a body B asdescribed above by itself is accommodated in a supply pocket 11 of thesupplying drum 1, then when it is supplied to the capsule fillingmechanism section past the direction controlling drum 2 and the feedingdrum 3, this gives rise to various problems at various sections. Alsothere is the possibility that a cap A or a body B in the separate statemay be mixed with filled capsule products as final products.

Further, when an empty capsule AB is transferred from a supply pocket11. of the supplying drum 1 to a direction controlling pocket 21 of thedirection controlling drum 2, even if it is kept in an erected stateupon entering the direction controlling pocket 21 with the body B sidedirected forwardly, it sometimes occurs by some reason that the body Bportion thereof does not enter the bottom portion 212 of the directioncontrolling pockets 21 but the empty capsule AB is accommodated into theupper portion 211 of the direction controlling pocket 21 in a reverselyhorizontally lying state wherein the body B is directed in the directionof rotation or the empty capsule AB is brought into a state wherein thecap A portion thereof projects from the circumferential face of the drumwhile the empty capsule AB is in an erected state with the cap Adirected upwardly and therefore is horizontally laid down by thedirection controlling guide member 22 into a reversely horizontallylying state wherein the body B is directed in the direction of rotation.If such a reversely horizontally lying capsule as described above istransferred to a feeding pocket 31 of the feeding drum 3 with the body Bside directed forwardly, then this induces that an empty capsule in anerected state with the cap A directed upwardly is mixed in emptycapsules held on the feeding drum 3 on which all empty capsules must bein an inverted state with the body B side directed upwardly. If thereversely horizontally lying capsule is supplied to the capsule fillingsection, then there is the possibility that contents substance may notbe filled into the empty capsule and the capsule may be mixed in filledcapsule produces as final products while it remains an empty capsule.

Conventionally, such a coupling defective capsule of the body B or thecap A itself or a reverse defective capsule as described above ishandled by detecting it with various sensors during transportation bythe drums 1, 2 and 3 and removing it by suitable means. However, sincedetection of a defective capsule by sensors and control for separatingand removing the detected defective capsule from the other normalcapsules are performed, not only very complicated operation by acomplicated mechanism is required, but also there is a limitation tosuch detection and removal based on sensors and therefore a satisfactorydetection and removal ratio cannot be obtained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances asdescribed above, and it is an object of the present invention to providea defective capsule removing mechanism wherein a coupling defectivecapsule which is composed of a body B or a cap A itself alone or areverse defective capsule can be discharged and removed with certaintyby a comparatively simple mechanism.

In order to attain the object described above, according to a firstaspect of the present invention, there is provided a defective capsuleremoving mechanism for removing, when a capsule composed of a cap and abody coupled to each other is accommodated and transported in a capsulepocket, if only the cap or the body of a coupling defective capsulewhose cap and body are separated from each other is accommodated intothe capsule pocket, characterized in that a defective capsuledischarging window shorter in length than that of the capsule isprovided in a portion of a circumferential wall of the capsule pocketadjacent one end of the capsule accommodated in the capsule pocket in alongitudinal direction of the capsule for sucking the inside of thecapsule pocket therethrough, such that the cap or the body of thecoupling defective capsule accommodated in the capsule pocket is drawninto the defective capsule discharging window in a rolling manner fromone end side thereof directed forwardly so that the cap or the body ofthe coupling defective capsule is discharged to the outside of thecapsule pocket through the defective capsule discharging window.

That is, the defective capsule removing mechanism according to the firstaspect of the present invention described above, if the cap or the bodyof a coupling defective capsule whose cap and body are separated fromeach other is accommodated solely into the capsule pocket foraccommodating and transporting a capsule, capsule pockets are sucked toremove the coupling defective capsule through the defective capsuledischarging window. Consequently, the cap or the body of the couplingdefective capsule is discharged from within the capsule pocket throughthe defective capsule discharging window. In this instance, thedefective capsule discharging window is a window formed at one endportion of the capsule pocket having shorter in length than that of thecapsule, so that the cap or the body alone having a comparatively smalllength is drawn into the defective capsule discharging window in arolling manner from one end side directed forwardly and is thendischarged to the outside of the capsule pocket through the defectivecapsule discharging window. However, since a normal capsule composed ofa cap and a body coupled to each other has a length considerably greaterthan that of the cap or the body alone, it is caught in the capsulepocket and cannot roll out into the defective capsule dischargingwindow, and consequently remains accommodated and held in the capsulepocket as it is.

Accordingly, with the defective capsule removing mechanism according tothe first aspect of the present invention, there is no necessity todetect whether an empty capsule accommodated in the capsule pocket is anormal capsule or a coupling defective capsule which is composed of acap or a body by itself, but by merely sucking the capsule pocketsthrough the defective capsule discharging window, only the cap or thebody of the coupling defective capsule is selectively discharged fromthe capsule pocket. Consequently, a coupling defective capsule can bedischarged and removed simply and with certainty without requiring acomplicated mechanism, complicated control and so forth.

Further, in order to attain the object described above, according to asecond aspect of the present invention, there is provided a defectivecapsule removing mechanism for removing, when a capsule is accommodatedand held in a horizontally lying state with a cap side thereof directedin a fixed direction in a capsule pocket formed on an outercircumferential face of a transport drum being capable of accommodatinga capsule in a horizontally lying state and is transported by rotationof the drum and then the capsule is discharged from the capsule pocketat a predetermined angle of rotation to be transferred to a differenttransporting unit or the like, a reverse defective capsule accommodatedin the capsule pocket in a reversely horizontally lying state with thecap side directed in the reverse direction is removed to prevent areverse defective capsule directed in the opposite direction from beingmixed in a group of capsules to be transferred to the differenttransporting unit or the like, characterized in that one end side of thecapsule pocket in which a body side of a capsule is to be accommodatedis formed as a cap holding portion which is wider than a diameter of thebody of the capsule but narrower than a diameter of the cap of thecapsule and a scraper insertion groove extending transversely over thecapsule pocket is formed on the outer circumferential face of thetransport drum along a circumferential direction of the drum, and ascraper having an end portion thereof inserted in the scraper insertiongroove is disposed on the downstream side with respect to a hand-overpoint to the different transporting unit or the like in a direction ofrotation of the drum such that, when a capsule in the reverselyhorizontally laid state with the cap directed in the reverse directionis accommodated into the capsule pocket, the capsule is brought into astate wherein the cap portion of the capsule is fitted into the capholding portion of the cap pocket and cannot be pulled out readily sothat the capsule is not discharged from the capsule packet at thehand-over point to the different transporting unit or the like, but isfurther transported to the downstream side in the direction of rotationof the drum, whereafter the capsule is scraped out from the capsulepocket by the scraper.

That is, the defective capsule removing mechanism discharges andremoves, when a capsule is accommodated and held in a horizontally lyingstate with a cap side thereof directed in the fixed direction in thecapsule pocket formed on the outer circumferential face of the transportdrum and is transported and then discharged at the predetermined angleof rotation and transferred to. the different transporting unit or thelike, a reverse defective capsule accommodated in the capsule pocket ina reversely horizontally lying state with the cap side directed in theopposite direction from the capsule pocket and recovers the reversedefective capsule. Since the one end side of the capsule pocket in whichthe body side of a capsule is to be accommodated is formed as the capholding portion which is narrower than the cap of the capsule, thereverse defective capsule in the reversely horizontally lying state withthe cap directed in the opposite direction is put into a state whereinthe cap portion thereof is confined to the cap holding portion andcannot be drawn out readily from the capsule pocket. Thus, the reversedefective capsule is not transferred to the different transporting unitat the predetermined angle of rotation, but keeps on going for furthertransportation. Then, the reverse defective capsule is compulsorilyscraped out from the capsule pocket by the scraper on the downstreamside in the direction of rotation of the transport drum and isrecovered.

Accordingly, with the defective capsule removing mechanism according tothe second aspect of the present invention, a reverse defective capsuleis automatically disabled from being transferred to the differenttransporting unit or the like without the necessity to perform anyoperation and without the necessity for a complicated mechanism fordetecting whether a capsule accommodated in the capsule pocket is acapsule in a normal horizontally lying state directed in thepredetermined direction or a reverse defective capsule in a horizontallylying state directed in the opposite direction or for selectivelydischarging and removing a detected reverse defective capsule, and inthis state, the reverse defective capsule passes by the hand-over pointto the transporting unit or the like and is then compulsorily removedfrom the capsule pocket automatically by the scraper at thepredetermined location on the downstream side with respect to thehand-over point to the transporting unit or the like in thetransportation direction to which a normal capsule is not transported atall. Consequently, a reverse defective capsule can be discharged andremoved simply and with certainty without the necessity for acomplicated structure, cumbersome control and so forth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic front elevational view showing a capsule fillingmachine which includes, in a supply section thereof, a defective capsuleremoving mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing the capsule filling machine;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the supplying section of the capsulefilling machine;

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view showing the supplying section;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are sectional views showing a supply drum which formsthe supplying section;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are enlarged sectional views showing an empty capsuleaccommodated and held in the supply drum and illustrating a behavior ofthe empty capsule;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic views showing a direction controlling drumwhich forms the supplying section;

FIG. 8A is an enlarged sectional view showing the direction controllingdrum and FIG. 8B is an enlarged plan view showing a directioncontrolling pocket provided on the direction controlling drum;

FIGS. 9A and 9B are sectional view showing a transporting drum and amagazine which form the supplying section;

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view illustrating posture control of an emptycapsule performed by the supplying section;

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view successively illustrating a contentssubstance filling operation by the capsule filling machine;

FIG. 12 is a schematic sectional view showing another example of acapsule supplying section which includes the defective capsule removingmechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 13 is a schematic view showing an example of a capsule supplyingsection used in a conventional capsule filling machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a capsule filling machine having a supplying section5 which includes a defective capsule removing mechanism according to thefirst aspect and the second aspect of the present invention describedabove. The capsule filling machine successively supplies, by means ofthe supplying section 5, empty capsules each formed from a cap and abody temporarily coupled to each other (such capsules are hereinafterreferred to merely as “empty capsules”) in an erected state wherein thecap is directed upwardly, transports the empty capsules keeping such theerected state by means of a transporting apparatus of a fillingmechanism section 7, separates the empty capsules into caps and bodiesduring transportation, fills contents substance into the bodies by acontents substance filling apparatus 6, and couples the caps and thebodies again to each other to produce filled capsule products, and thendischarges the filled capsule products from the apparatus and recoversthem.

The supplying section 5 includes, as shown in FIG. 1, a supply drum(transporting drum) 1 for successively supplying empty capsulesaccommodated in a hopper h in a state where empty capsules in anvertically erected state with the cap directed upwardly and emptycapsules in an inverted state with the body directed upwardly are mixedtogether, a direction controlling drum 2 for controlling the directionsof the empty capsules received from the supply drum 1, a feeding drum 3for receiving the empty capsules all in an inverted state with the bodydirected upwardly from the direction controlling drum 2 and transportingthe received empty capsules downwardly, and a magazine 4 for loading theempty capsules in an erected state received from the feeding drum 3 intocapsule pockets provided on the transporting unit of the fillingmechanism section 7.

As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, two rows of 21 supply pockets 11 capable ofaccommodating empty capsules in a vertically standing state therein areformed along a circumferential direction on a circumferential face ofthe supply drum 1. When the supply drum 1 rotates in thecounterclockwise direction in FIG. 1, empty capsules AB stored in thehopper h are successively accommodated into the supply pockets 11.

Each of the supply pockets 11 is formed in such a shape that an openingthereof is partly expanded in a direction of rotation so that an emptycapsule from the hopper h can be introduced readily into the supplypocket 11, and is communicated with a suction/blowing out hole 112formed along an axial direction of the supply drum 1 in the proximity ofthe diametrally inner side of the supply drum 1. As shown in FIG. 5B,one suction/blowing out hole 112 is communicated with two supply pockets11, 11 which are juxtaposed along a widthwise direction of the supplydrum 1 and is open to one side face of the supply drum 1. Further, eachsupply pocket 11 has a defective capsule discharging window 131 providedat a lower portion thereof, which communicates with a capsuledischarging space portion 13 which is open to the outer side face of thesupply drum 1.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 4, a first suction and exhaust block 1 a isdisposed between the supply drum 1 and a column p which supports thesupply drum 1 for rotation thereon, and three suction paths 112 a, 112 band 13 a and one compressed air path 112 c are provided on a front faceside of the suction and exhaust block 1 a (adjacent the supply drum 1)as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In a condition where the suction paths 112 aand 112 b and the suction/blowing out holes 112 are registered with eachother, the insides of the supply pockets 11 are subject to suction, butin another condition where the compressed air path 112 c and asuction/blowing out hole 112 are registered with each other, air isblown out into the supply pocket 11. Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 4 andFIGS. 6A and 6B, a small suction block 1 b having a suction path 13 bopposing to the suction path 13 a is disposed on the opposite side tothe first suction and exhaust block 1 a with respect to the supply drum1, and in a condition where the suction path 13 b of the small suctionblock 1 b and the suction path 13 a of the first suction and exhaustblock 1 a are registered with the capsule discharging space portions 13,the insides of the supply pockets 11 are subject to suction from theside face sides thereof.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a pair of right and left guidemembers 14, 14 for preventing capsules from slipping out are providedalong a circumferential face of the supply drum 1 such that they extendvertically from middle portions thereof toward the lower side of thesupply drum 1. A capsule discharging gap is provided between the twoguide members 14, 14 at a position just below the supply drum 1.

Meanwhile, the direction controlling drum 2 is formed with a diametersmaller than the supply drum 1 and is disposed below the supply drum 1such that a circumferential face thereof is close to the supply drum 1.The direction controlling drum 2 rotates in the direction (in theclockwise direction in FIGS. 1 and 3) opposite to that of the supplydrum 1 at an equal circumferential speed to that of the supply drum 1.As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, three sets of direction controllingsections each including six, in total, direction controlling pockets 21arranged in three rows by two columns are provided with an equal spacegiven from each other in a circumferential direction on thecircumferential face of the direction controlling drum 2. As shown inFIGS. 8A and 8B, each of the direction controlling pockets 21 iscomposed of an upper portion 211 having a substantially elongatedelliptical shape capable of accommodating an empty capsule AB, whichincludes a cap A and a body B temporarily coupled to each other, in ahorizontally lying state along a widthwise direction of the directioncontrolling drum 2, and a bottom portion 212 communicated with an endportion of the upper portion 211 and having a diameter set such that thecap portion A of an empty capsule AB cannot enter the bottom portion 212but only the body portion B can enter the bottom portion 212.

As shown in FIG. 8A, the bottom portion 212 of each of the directioncontrolling pockets 21 is communicated with a suction/blowing out hole23 formed in the proximity of a diametrally inner side of the directioncontrolling drum 2, and one suction/blowing out hole 23 is communicatedwith two direction controlling pockets 21, 21 juxtaposed along awidthwise direction of the direction controlling drum 2 and is open toone side face of the direction controlling drum 2. Further, as shown inFIG. 4, a second suction and exhaust block 2 a is disposed between thecolumn p on which the direction controlling drum 2 is supported and thedirection controlling drum 2 in a similar manner as in the case of thesupply drum 1 described hereinabove, and a suction path 231 and acompressed air path 232 are provided on a front face side of the secondsuction and exhaust block 2 a (adjacent the direction controlling drum2) as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In a condition where the suction path 231and the suction/blowing out hole 23 are registered with each other, theinside of the direction controlling pocket 21 is subject to suction, butin another condition where the compressed air path 232 and thesuction/blowing out hole 23 are registered with each other, air is blownout into the direction controlling pocket 21.

Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 8B, the upper portion 211 of each of thedirection controlling pockets 21 is formed as a cap holding portion 211a with opposed end side thereof has a reduced width. The width W of thecap holding portion 211 a is set to a little greater than the diameterof the body B of the empty capsule AB, but a little smaller than thediameter of the cap A, so that an empty capsule AB accommodated in theupper portion 211 of the direction controlling pocket 21 with the cap Athereof directed to the cap holding portion 211 a side is held at thecap A portion by the cap holding portion 211 a and cannot be dischargedreadily. Further, two sets of scraper insertion grooves 24 eachincluding two scraper insertion grooves 24 are formed along acircumferential direction of the drum 2 on the outer circumferentialface of the direction controlling drum 2 as shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B and8A, 8B. The two sets of scraper insertion grooves 24, 24 extend acrossthe upper portions 211 of the direction controlling pockets 21.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 7A and 7B, a direction controlling guide member22 for preventing the empty capsule AB from slipping out and controllingdirection of empty capsules AB accommodated in the direction controllingpockets 21 is provided along the one circumferential face of thedirection controlling drum 2 over an approximately ¼ circumferentialportion thereof from one side portion (right side portion in thefigures) to the lower side. The direction controlling guide member 22has two V-shaped grooves 221, 221 formed thereon corresponding to thedirection controlling pockets 21 as shown in FIG. 7B, and amountain-like shaped portion formed between the V-shaped grooves 221,221 serves as a direction controlling protrusion 222 for laying down anempty capsule AB accommodated in the direction controlling pocket 21 inan inverted state into a horizontally lying state.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 7A and 7B, four spike-shaped scrapers25 are disposed at the other side portion of the circumferential face ofthe direction controlling drum 2 (on the side opposite to the directioncontrolling guide member 22), and extremities of them are fitted in thescraper insertion grooves 24. Further, a recovery can 251 for recoveringempty capsules AB discharged from the upper portions 211 of thedirection controlling pockets 21 by the scrapers 25 is disposed belowthe scrapers 25.

The feeding drum 3 is formed with a diameter smaller than that of thesupply drum 1 similarly to the direction controlling drum 2 describedhereinabove and is disposed below the direction controlling drum 2 in acondition where a circumferential face thereof is close to the directioncontrolling drum 2. The feeding drum 3 rotates in the direction(counterclockwise direction FIG. 1) opposite to that of the directioncontrolling drum 2 at a circumferential speed equal to that of thedirection controlling drum 2. As shown in FIGS. 3, 9A and 9B, three setsof feeding sections each including six, in total, feeding pockets 131arranged in three rows by two columns are provided with an equal spacegiven from each other in a circumferential direction on thecircumferential face of the feeding drum 3 similarly as in the directioncontrolling drum 2.

As shown in FIGS. 9A, 9B and 10, each of the feeding pockets 31 isformed in such a shape that an opening thereof is partly expanded in awidthwise direction of the feeding drum 3 so that an empty capsule ABcan be introduced into the feeding pocket 31 readily, and iscommunicated with a suction/blowing out hole 32 formed in the proximityof the diametrally inner side of the feeding drum 3. In particular, onesuction/blowing out hole 32 is communicated with two feeding pockets 31,31 juxtaposed with each other along a widthwise direction of the feedingdrum 3 and is open to one side face of the feeding drum 3. Further, asshown in FIGS. 4, 9A and 9B, a third suction and exhaust block 3 a isdisposed between the feeding drum 3 and the column p on which thefeeding drum 3 is supported in a similar manner as in the case of thesupply drum 1 and the direction controlling drum 2. A suction path 321and a compressed air path 322 are provided on the front face side(adjacent the feeding drum 3) of the third suction and exhaust block 3 aas shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 9A and 9B. In a condition where the suction path321 and the suction/blowing out hole 32 are registered with each other,the insides of the feeding pockets 31 are subject to suction, but inanother condition where the compressed air path 322 and thesuction/blowing out hole 32 are registered with each other, air is blownout into the feeding pockets 31. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 9A and9B, a guide member 33 for preventing a capsule from slipping out isprovided along the circumferential face of the feeding drum 3 extendingfrom one side portion (left side portion in the figures) to the lowerside of the circumferential face of the feeding drum 3.

The magazine 4 which can accommodate a predetermined number of emptycapsules AB is disposed below the feeding drum 3. As shown in FIGS. 3,9A and 9B, the magazine 4 has two capsule supply paths 41 each having ahollow of a a diameter a little greater than the outer diameter of theempty capsules AB. Empty capsules AB charged from the feeding drum 3 areaccommodated once into the capsule supply paths 41 and aligned along avertical direction in a vertically standing state in the capsule supplypaths 41, and the empty capsules AB are successively supplied from thelower ends of the capsule supply paths 41 to the filling mechanismsection 7.

The magazine 4 is disposed at a position at which, when a feeding pocket31 passes by the guide member 33 and is opened downwardly as a result ofrotation of the feeding drum 3, the top end opening of one of thecapsule supply paths 41 is opposed to the opening of the feeding pocket31. The capsule supply path 41 is formed in such a shape that theopening thereof is partly expanded toward the direction of rotation ofthe feeding drum 3 so that an empty capsule AB can enter the capsulesupply path 41 with certainty. Further, photoelectric sensors 42 a, 42 bformed from a pair of light emission and reception elements are disposedat a lower end portion and an upper portion of the magazine 4. Theinsides of the capsule supply paths 41 are normally supervised by thephotoelectric sensors 42 a, 42 b to detect presence or absence of anempty capsule AB and a rough number of such empty capsules AB, and ashutter 43 (refer to FIGS. 9A and 9B) disposed at a lower end portion ofthe magazine 4 is opened or closed by an air cylinder 44 (refer to FIG.9A) in response to a result of the detection.

Operation of the supplying section 5 which includes the supply drum 1,direction controlling drum 2, feeding drum 3 and magazine 4 is describedwith reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 10. First, empty capsules ABaccommodated in the hopper h are successively supplied to andaccommodated into the supply pockets 11 of the supply drum 1 (refer toFIG. 3). In this instance, when the supply drum 1 rotates in thecounterclockwise direction as in FIG. 3 and the supply pockets 11 passthe supplying location from the hopper h, one of the suction/blowing outholes 112 communicated with the supply pockets 11 is registered with thesuction path 112 a so that the insides of the supply pockets 11 aresucked. Consequently, empty capsules AB are accommodated from the hopperh into the supply pockets 11 with certainty by making use of anattracting force by suction. In this instance, the empty capsules ABaccommodated in the supply pockets 11 exhibit a condition where those inthe erected state with the cap A directed upwardly and those in theinverted state with the body B directed upwardly are mixed together.

The capsules accommodated in the supply pockets 11 of the supply drum 1are transported to the lower side of the supply drum 1 as the supplydrum 1 rotates and are transported to the direction controlling pockets21 of the direction controlling drum 2. Thereupon, one of thesuction/blowing out holes 112 which is communicated with supply pockets11 is registered with the compressed air path 112 c (refer to FIGS. 3and 4) and one of the suction/blowing out holes 23 which is communicatedwith direction controlling pockets 21 is registered with the suctionpath 231 (refer to FIGS. 3 and 4). Consequently, as shown in FIG. 10,air is blown out from the supply pockets 11 to force out theaccommodated empty capsules AB while the direction controlling pockets21 are brought into a sucking condition so that the empty capsules ABare received with certainty.

Here, while the 42, in total, supply pockets 11 arranged in 21 rows by 2columns are provided uniformly on the circumferential face of the supplydrum 1, only the three sets of direction controlling sections composedof the six, in total, direction controlling pockets 21 arranged in threerows by two columns are provided with an equal space given from eachother in the circumferential direction on the direction controlling drum2. Therefore, empty capsules AB accommodated in the supply pockets 11 ofthe supply drum 1 are successively transferred six by six of three rowsby two columns to the direction controlling drum 2. Thus, empty capsulesAB supplied from the hopper h to the supply drum 1 are not transferredfrom the supply drum 1 to the direction controlling drum 2 during afirst round of rotation of the supply drum 1, but after they pass by thesupplying location from the hopper h, they are transferred to thedirection controlling drum 2 during a second round of rotation.Accordingly, even if an empty capsule AB is not successfullyaccommodated into one of the supply pockets 11 upon supplying of emptycapsules AB from the hopper h, leaving the supply pocket 11 empty, whenthe supply pocket 11 passes by the supplying location from the hopper hfor the second round, an empty capsule AB is accommodated into the emptypocket. Consequently, empty capsules AB are supplied to the directioncontrolling drum 2 with certainty while an empty direction controllingpocket 21 does not appear on the direction controlling drum 2.

Further, since each empty capsule AB is composed of the cap A and thebody B which are temporarily coupled to each other such that they can beseparated from each other readily, the cap A and the body B are liableto be separated, and there is a case that caps A and bodies B of emptycapsules AB separate from each other are sometimes present in the hopperh. If such a cap A or body B is accommodated solely into a supply pocket11 of the supply drum 1, then the cap A or body B accommodated solely inthe supply pocket 11 is removed at a location at which a brush roller bis disposed (refer to FIGS. 3 and 4) immediately after the capsulesupplying location from the hopper h.

In particular, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, at the location of the brushroller b, the capsule discharging space portion 13 (refer to FIG. 4)communicated with the supply pockets 11 is registered with the suctionpath 13 a of the first suction and exhaust block 1 a or the suction path13 b of the small suction block 1 b and the insides of the supplypockets 11 are subject to suction. At this time, if a body B isaccommodated solely in one of the supply pockets 11, for example, asshown in FIG. 6B, then the body B is sucked by an attracting forcegenerated by the suction from the suction path 13 a (or 13 b) through adefective capsule discharging window 131 provided at the lower portionof the supply pocket 11 into the capsule discharging space portion 13 ina rolling condition and discharged and removed from the supply pocket11. In this instance, as shown in FIG. 6B, since an empty capsule ABcomposed of a cap A and a body B coupled to each other has a greaterlength than the sole cap A or the sole body B, it will be caught in thesupply pocket 11 and cannot be rolled out from the supply pocket 11 intothe defective capsule discharging window 131 and consequently will notbe sucked out of the supply pocket 11 to the capsule discharging spaceportion 13.

It is to be noted that, while the defective capsule discharging window131 described above has a length set smaller than that of a capsule AB,so that a normal empty capsule AB composed of the cap A and the body Btemporarily coupled to each other cannot be discharged through thedefective capsule discharging window 131, the length of the defectivecapsule discharging window 131 is suitably adjusted to a length withwhich, taking the width (diameter) of the supply pockets 11 and thediameter and the length of the empty capsule AB into consideration, thecap A and the body B can pass through the defective capsule dischargingwindow while rolling, but an empty capsule composed of the cap A and thebody B temporarily coupled to each other cannot roll into the defectivecapsule discharging window.

In this manner, when only the cap A or only the body B is accommodatedinto a supply pocket 11, the cap A or the body B is removed immediately.Thus, empty capsules which are transported by the supply drum 1 andtransferred to the direction controlling drum 2 are only empty capsulesAB composed of the cap A and the body B temporarily coupled to eachother whereas the sole cap A or the sole body B is prevented from beingtransferred to the direction controlling drum 2. It is to be noted that,since transfer of empty capsules from the supply pockets 11 to thedirection controlling pockets 21 is not performed during the first roundof rotation of the supply drum 1 but is performed during the secondround of rotation of the supply drum 1 as described hereinabove, asupply pocket 11 which is in an empty state because the accommodated capA or body B only themselves have been removed from it, accommodate anempty capsule AB when it passes the supplying location from the hopper hagain, and the empty capsule AB is transferred to the directioncontrolling drum 2.

Then, as shown in FIG. 10, each empty capsule AB which has entered withthe body B side directed forwardly and been accommodated into adirection controlling pocket 21 of the direction controlling drum 2 isfully accommodated in the direction controlling pocket 21 in an erectedstate with the cap A thereof directed upwardly (adjacent thecircumferential face of the drum) and with the body B thereof entered tothe bottom portion 212 of the direction controlling pocket 21.Meanwhile, each empty capsule AB′ which has entered with the cap A sidedirected forwardly and been accommodated into a direction controllingpocket 21 cannot enter the bottom portion 212 because the diameter ofthe cap A is greater than the diameter of the bottom portion 212, and isheld in the direction controlling pocket 21 in a state wherein the bodyB portion projects from the circumferential face of directioncontrolling the drum. As the direction controlling drum 2 rotates inthis state, the body B portion projecting from the circumferential faceof the drum enters a V-shaped groove 221 (refer to FIG. 7B) of thedirection controlling guide member 22 and is in contact with a side edgeportion of the direction controlling protrusion 222 (refer to FIG. 7B).As the direction controlling drum 2 further rotates, the empty capsuleAB′ is pressed outwardly in a widthwise direction of the drum 2 so thatit is fallen down into the upper portion 211 of the directioncontrolling pocket 21 around a fulcrum provided by the end of the capportion A. Consequently, the empty capsule AB′ is accommodated into andheld in the upper portion 211 of the direction controlling pocket 21 ina horizontally lying state along a widthwise direction of the drum 2. Inthis manner, the empty capsule AB′ accommodated in a horizontally lyingstate in the upper portion 211 of the direction controlling pocket 21has the cap A portion thereof positioned on the bottom portion 212 ofthe direction controlling pocket 21 and has the body B side directed tothe outer side.

Then, the empty capsules AB and AB′ accommodated in the directioncontrolling pockets 21 of the direction controlling drum 2 in thismanner are transferred to the feeding pockets 31 of the feeding drum 3as shown in FIG. 10. Also in this instance, the suction/blowing out hole23 communicated with the direction controlling pockets 21 is registeredwith the compressed air path 232 (refer to FIGS. 3 and 4) and thesuction/blowing out hole 32 communicated with the feeding pockets 31 isregistered with the suction path 321 (refer to FIGS. 3 and 4).Consequently, as shown in FIG. 10, air is blown out from thebottom-portions 212 of the direction controlling pockets 21 to force outthe empty capsules AB and AB′ accommodated in the direction controllingpockets 21 while the feeding pockets 31 are put into an attractingcondition to receive the empty capsules AB and AB′ with certainty.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 10, the empty capsules AB having beenaccommodated in the direction controlling pockets 21 in an erected statewith the body B portions thereof entered the bottom portions 212 of thedirection controlling pockets 21 are entered the feeding pockets 31 withthe cap A sides thereof directed forwardly and are accommodated in aninverted state with the body B sides directed upwardly (adjacent thedrum circumferential face side). Meanwhile, as indicated by broken linesin FIG. 10, an empty capsule AB′ accommodated in the horizontally lyingstate at the upper portion 211 of a direction controlling pocket 21 isforced out to a feeding pocket 31 with the cap A directed forwardly byair blown out from the bottom portion 212 of the direction controllingpocket 21 and is sucked into the feeding pocket 31 with the cap Adirected forwardly. Consequently, the empty capsule AB′ is entered thefeeding pocket 31 with the cap A directed forwardly until it isaccommodated in an inverted state with the body B directed upwardly(adjacent the drum circumferential face). Accordingly, the emptycapsules AB and AB′ transferred to the feeding drum 3 are allaccommodated in an inverted state with the bodies side B thereofdirected upwardly in the feeding pockets 31.

Here, when each of the empty capsules AB is transferred from a supplypocket 11 of the supply drum 1 into a direction controlling pocket 21 ofthe direction controlling drum 2, even if it is in an erected statewhich allows it to enter the direction controlling pocket 21 with thebody B directed forwardly, it sometimes occurs by some reason that thebody B portion thereof does not enter the bottom portion 212 of thedirection controlling pocket 21, but it is accommodated into the upperportion 211 of the direction controlling pocket 21 in a reverselyhorizontally lying state wherein the cap A side is directed to theoutside or the cap A portion of the empty capsule AB projects from thecircumferential face of the drum in an erected state with the cap Adirected upwardly and the empty capsule AB is laid down horizontally bythe direction controlling guide member 22 into a reversely horizontallylying state wherein the cap A is directed to the outside. If such areversely horizontally lying capsule as just described is transferred toa feeding pocket 31 of the feeding drum 3 with the body B directedforwardly, then the empty capsule in an erected state with the cap Adirected upwardly is mixed in empty capsules which are held in thefeeding drum 3 on which all empty capsules must be in an inverted statewith the bodies B thereof directed upwardly. Therefore, in the directioncontrolling drum 2 in the present embodiment, it does not transfer sucha reversely horizontally lying capsule to the feeding drum 3, butrecovers and removes it from the direction side controlling drum 2.

That is, while the reversely horizontally lying capsule is accommodatedin the upper portion 211 of a direction controlling pocket 21 in acondition where the cap A side thereof is directed to the outside of thedirection controlling drum 2, since the upper portion 211 of thedirection controlling pocket 21 is formed as a cap holding portion 211 ain which the width w of an outer side portion of which is smaller thanthe diameter of the cap A as shown in FIG. 8-B, the reverselyhorizontally lying capsule is pressed by the direction controlling guidemember 22 (refer to FIG. 3) so that it is put into a condition where itis confined to the cap holding portion 211 a of the upper portion 211 ofthe direction controlling pocket 21 and cannot be pulled out readilyfrom the direction controlling pocket 21. Consequently, also upontransfer from the direction controlling drum 2 to the feeding drum 3,the reversely horizontally lying capsule does not move to a feedingpocket 31 of the feeding drum 3, but passes by the hand-over point andis further transported while it is held in the upper portion 211 of thedirection controlling pocket 21. Then, the reversely horizontally lyingcapsule is scraped out from the upper portion 211 of the directioncontrolling pocket 21 by the scraper 25 (refer to FIG. 7A) inserted inone of the scraper insertion grooves 24 (refer to FIGS. 7A, 7B, 8A and8B) which extends across the upper portion 211 of the directioncontrolling pocket 21 and is recovered into the recovery can 251.

The empty capsules AB and AB′ in an erected state transferred from thedirection controlling drum 2 to the feeding drum 3 in such a manner asdescribed above move to the lower side as the feeding drum 3 rotates,and are charged into the capsule supply paths 41, 41 of the magazine 4disposed under the feeding drum 3 with the bodies B thereof directedforwardly as shown in FIG. 10. Consequently, a predetermined number ofempty capsules AB are reserved once in a condition where all of them areput into such a status that they are registered in a vertical directionin an upright state and then are successively supplied to the fillingmechanism section 7 from the lower end openings of the capsule supplypaths 41, 41.

In this instance, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the lower end opening ofeach of the capsule supply paths 41 is closed by the shutter 43 when thefilling machine is a activated, and at a point of time when apredetermined number of empty capsules AB are reserved in the capsulesupply paths 41 and detected by the photoelectric sensor 42 a on theupper side and it is confirmed that the predetermined number of emptycapsules AB are reserved therein, the air cylinders 44 is operated toopen the shutters 43 to start a supplying operation of the emptycapsules AB into the filling mechanism section 7.

Here, the feeding pockets 31 provided on the feeding drum 3 are disposedsuch that three sets of feeding pocket groups each including six, intotal, feeding pockets 31 arranged in three rows by two columns asdescribed above are spaced from each other given an equal distance,although the feeding drum 3 continuously rotates at a fixed speed,charging of empty capsules AB into the capsule supply paths 41 of themagazine 4 from the feeding drum 3 is performed such that an operationof charging, after six, in total, empty capsules arranged in three rowsby two columns are successively charged, next six empty capsules arecharged successively after lapse of a predetermined time and isrepeated. Thus, successive charging is repeated intermittently. On theother hand, supply of empty capsules from the lower end openings of thecapsule supply paths 41 of the magazine 4 into the charging mechanismsection 7 is performed successively. Consequently, supply of emptycapsules AB to the charging mechanism section 7 is performed whileincreasing and decreasing of the number of empty capsules AB reserved inthe capsule supply paths 41 of the magazine 4 are repeated.

Further, if, an empty capsule in a reversely horizontally lying statedescribed above occurs frequently and therefore an empty feeding pocket31 appears comparatively frequently on the feeding drum 3 as a result ofremoval of the empty capsule therefrom or due to some other reason, thebalance between the charging rate for charging empty capsules AB fromthe feeding drum 3 into the magazine 4 and supplying rate for supplyingthe empty capsule from the magazine 4 into the filling mechanism section7 is lost and the number of empty capsules AB reserved in the capsulesupply paths 41 of the magazine 4 decreases, to thereby make any one ofthe capsule supply paths 41 empty even momentarily, then this isdetected by the photoelectric sensor 42 b on the lower side.Consequently, the shutters 43 (refer to FIGS. 9A and 9B) are closed tostop supplying empty capsules AB into the filling mechanism section 7and operations after supply of empty capsules such as transportation ofempty capsules by the filling mechanism section 7, separation, fillingof contents substance, re-coupling and discharging are all stopped.Then, at a point of time when the predetermined number of empty capsulesare reserved in the capsule supply paths 41 of the magazine 4 again,this is detected by the photoelectric sensor 42 b on the upper side.Consequently, the shutters 43 are opened to resume supply of emptycapsules to the filling mechanism section 7, and the operationsfollowing to the supply of empty capsules are resumed simultaneously toresume the capsule filling operation.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 11, the filling mechanism section 7 havingreceived the empty capsules AB from the magazine 4 accommodates theempty capsules AB in an erected state into capsule pockets, eachcomposed of a cap pocket of a cap segment 71 and a body pocket of a bodydisk 72, separates the empty capsules accommodated in the capsulepockets into caps A and bodies B, holds and transports the caps A andthe bodies B in the cap pockets of the cap segment 71 and the bodypockets of the body disk 72, respectively, separates the cap segment 71from the body disk 72 and performs a separation defective inspection bymeans of a separation defective detector 77. After performing theseparation defective inspection, the filling mechanism section 7 fillscontents substance into the bodies B held in the body disk 72 by meansof the contents substance filling apparatus 6, contacts the cap segment71 with the body disk 72 again, pushes up the bodies B by means ofplunger pins 74 to the caps A held by a holding plate 73 to temporarilycouple the caps A and the bodies B to each other, further presses thecaps A by means of a coupling roller 75 to fully couple the caps A andthe bodies B to each other, further pushes up resulting filled capsuleproducts C by means of the plunger pins 74 to discharge the filledcapsule products C from the body disk 72 and the cap segment 71, anddischarges the filled capsule products C to the outside of the apparatusthrough a discharging chute 76 to recover them. Then, the cap pockets ofthe cap segment 71 and the body pockets of the body disk 72 are cleanedby a cleaner 78 (refer to FIG. 2) and the filling mechanism section 7receives empty capsules AB from the supplying section 5 again so thatsimilar operations are repeated.

In this manner, the capsule filling machine of the present embodimentsuccessively supplies empty capsules AB each composed of a cap and abody temporarily coupled to each other while controlling the posture ofthe empty capsules AB to an erected state with the cap A directed upwardby means of the supplying section 5, transports the empty capsules AB bymeans of the transporting unit of the filling mechanism section 7 withthe empty capsules AB kept in the erected state, the empty capsules ABare separated into caps and bodies during transportation, fills contentssubstance into the bodies B by means of the contents substance fillingapparatus 6, and couples the caps A and the bodies B to each other againto produce filled capsule products C, and then discharges and recoversthe filled capsule products C from the apparatus.

In this instance, when empty capsules AB are supplied while the posturethereof is controlled to an erected state by means of the supplyingsection 5, even if a cap A only or a body B only of a coupling defectivecapsule whose caps A and bodies B are in a separate state from eachother is accommodated in a supply pocket 11 of the supply drum 1, thisis removed automatically by a simple construction, and also a reversedefective capsule whose direction is opposite thereto is automaticallyremoved by a simple mechanism. Consequently, empty capsules composed ofthe cap A and the body B coupled to each other can be supplied stablyand with certainty, and filled capsule products C can be produced stablywithout suffering from such defects as a filling defect and atransportation defect.

In particular, according to the removing mechanism for removing acoupling defective capsule provided for the supply drum 1 of thesupplying section 5, there is no necessity to detect whether an emptycapsule accommodated in a supply pocket 11 is a normal empty capsules ABor a coupling defective capsule composed only of a cap A or a body B,but by merely sucking the inside of all of the supply pockets 11 throughthe defective capsule discharging window 131, only the cap A or the bodyB of the coupling defective capsule is selectively dischargedautomatically from the supply pocket 11. Consequently, a couplingdefective capsule can be discharged and removed readily and withcertainty without requiring a complicated mechanism, complicated controland so forth.

Meanwhile, according to the removing mechanism for removing a reversedefective capsule provided for the direction controlling drum 2 of thesupplying section 5, a reverse defective capsule is automaticallydisabled from being transferred to the feeding drum 3 without thenecessity to perform any operation and without the necessity for acomplicated mechanism for detecting whether a capsule accommodated in adirection controlling pocket 21 is a capsule in a normal horizontallylying state directed in a predetermined direction or a reverse defectivecapsule in a horizontally lying state directed in the oppositedirection, Ad or for selectively discharging and removing a detectedreverse defective capsule, and in this state, the reverse defectivecapsule passes by the hand-over point to the feeding drum 3 and is thencompulsorily removed from the direction controlling pocket 21automatically by the scraper 25 at the predetermined location on thedownstream side of the hand-over point to the feeding drum 3 in thetransportation direction to which a normal capsule is not transported atall. Consequently, a reverse defective capsule can be discharged andremoved simply and with certainty without the necessity for acomplicated structure, cumbersome control and so forth.

It is to be noted that the defective capsule removing mechanism of thepresent invention is not limited to the embodiment described above butcan be suitably modified. For example, while, in the embodimentdescribed above, an example wherein the removing mechanism of thepresent invention is employed in a supplying section of a capsulefilling machine which supplies empty capsules while controlling theposture of them to an erected state is described, it is also possible toemploy the removing mechanism of the present invention in a supplyingsection which is used in a capsule sealing machine or a capsuleappearance inspection apparatus for supplying capsules while controllingthe posture of them to a horizontally lying state directed in a fixeddirection. In this instance, for example, as shown in FIG. 12, thedirections of the upper portions 211 of the direction controlling pocket21 of the direction controlling drum 2 are all set to the samedirection, and a second direction controlling drum 30 which is similarto the feeding drum 3 except that it does not have the removingmechanism is used in place of the feeding drum 3. Thus, empty capsulesAB′ supplied in an inverted state from the supply drum 1 are put into ahorizontally lying state by the first direction controlling drum 2 whileempty drums AB supplied in an erected state from the supply drum 1 areput into a horizontally lying state by the second direction controllingdrum 30 so that all capsules are supplied after the postures thereof areconverted into a horizontally lying state wherein their directions arecontrolled to the fixed direction. It is to be noted that the otherconstruction is similar to that of the supplying unit 5 of theembodiment described hereinabove.

Further, the defective capsule removing mechanism of the presentinvention can be used as a mechanism for removing a coupling defectivecapsule or a reverse defective capsule from a capsule pocket of atransporting unit which merely transports capsules without performingdirectional control. Furthermore, for example, the shapes, the numbers,the number of columns, the arrangement method and so forth of thepockets provided on the drums 1, 2 and 3 can be modified suitably, andalso the other construction may be modified suitably without departingfrom the scope of the present invention.

As described above, according to the defective capsule removingmechanism of the present invention, a coupling defective capsule such asa body B or a cap A by itself or a reverse defective capsule can bedischarged and removed automatically and with certainty by acomparatively simple mechanism.

What is claimed is:
 1. A defective capsule removing mechanismcomprising: a transport drum having an outer circumferential face; acapsule pocket provided on said outer circumferential face of saidtransport drum for receiving a capsule therein, the capsule beingtransported by rotation of said transport drum so that the capsule maybe discharged from said capsule pocket at a predetermined angle ofrotation of said transport drum and transferred to a transporting unitat a hand-over point, the capsule having a body and a cap, said capsulepocket accommodating and holding the capsule in a horizontal lying statewith the cap thereof directed in a fixed direction, said capsule pockethaving one end formed as a cap holding portion which is wider than adiameter of the body of the capsule but narrower than a diameter of thecap of the capsule; a scraper insertion groove extending transverselyover said capsule pocket and formed on said outer circumferential faceof said transport drum along a circumferential direction of saidtransport drum; and a scraper having an end portion inserted in saidscraper insertion groove, said scraped being disposed on a downstreamside with respect to the hand-over point to the transporting unit in adirection of rotation of the transport drum, whereby when a capsule in areverse horizontally lying state with the cap directed in an oppositedirection is accommodated into said capsule pocket, the capsule isbrought into a state wherein the cap is fitted into the cap holdingportion of said cap pocket and cannot be pulled out readily so that thecapsule is not discharged from said capsule pocket at the hand-overpoint to the transporting unit but is further transported to thedownstream side in the direction of rotation of the transport drum,whereafter the capsule is scraped out and removed from said capsulepocket by said scraper, to thereby prevent a reverse capsule directed inthe opposite direction from being mixed in a group of capsules to betransferred to the transporting unit.
 2. The defective capsule removingmechanism according to claim 1, wherein said capsule pocket is adirection controlling pocket including: an upper portion foraccommodating a capsule in a horizontally lying state; and a bottomportion communicated with one end portion of said upper portion andallowing only the body of a capsule to enter said bottom portion,wherein a capsule having entered an uprightly standing state with thebody directed forwardly into said direction controlling pocket enterssaid bottom portion and the capsule is accommodated and held in anuprightly standing state in said direction controlling pocket and istransported by rotation of the transport drum, whereas another capsulehaving entered in an uprightly standing state with the cap directedforwardly into said direction controlling pocket is not allowed to enterto said bottom portion, but the capsule is held in an uprightly standingstate in said upper portion in a state wherein the body projects fromthe outer circumferential face of the drum.
 3. The defective capsuleremoving mechanism according to claim 2, further comprising a directioncontrolling guide member disposed along the outer circumferential faceof said transport drum, wherein while the capsule is transported byrotation of said transport drum, the body projecting from the outercircumferential face of said transport drum is pressed by said directioncontrolling guide member so that the capsule is accommodated into theupper portion of said capsule pocket in a horizontally lying state wherethe cap is directed in the fixed direction thereby to perform postureconversion, whereafter the capsule is further transported.
 4. Thedefective capsule removing mechanism according to claim 3, wherein whena capsule is to be discharged from the direction controlling pocket atsaid predetermined angle of rotation and transferred to the transportingunit, the capsule accommodated in the upper portion of said directioncontrolling pocket in a reverse horizontally lying state wherein the capis directed in the opposite direction is not transferred to thetransporting unit, but is further transported to the downstream side inthe direction of rotation of said transport drum, whereafter the capsuleis discharged from the upper portion of said direction controlled pocketand recovered.
 5. The defective capsule removing mechanism according toclaim 4, further comprising a recovery can for recovering the capsuledischarged from the upper portion of said direction controlled pocket.